The Breast Feeding Support Thread

jlm29

If I were you, I would ring your local maternity ward, wherever you had your baby. They're awfully helpful- I rang mine on my last when I needed to take an anti histamine. Either that or your local out of hours doc, Caredoc here, but whatever you call them!

Sligo1

Yep definitely just ring your maternity hospital or maternity ward. And you can ring them now if youre hoping to take it overnight. They will have a list of medications that are allowed or otherwise contraindicated during breastfeeding.

jlm29

Things going better here! Still have a crack in one nipple, but it's improved a bit, and it's only sore for initial latch now, but not throughout feeding. I realised yesterday I've been a bit slack in applying lanolin, because it's improved, so I need to get my act together. Baby still inclined to have a shallow latch if he gets away with it. I think maybe my supply is a bit too much for him, and my letdown is a bit strong, so I think he's been clamping down to try and slow it down.
He was awful unsettled the last couple of days- I thought maybe it was a growth spurt or something, but I've been block feeding since yesterday afternoon, and it's made a big difference, so I assume he wasn't getting any hind milk, and was getting hungry again very quickly. I was explaining my theory to my other half earlier-"you know like, when you eat a McDonald's, and you're satisfied leaving the building, but then you're hungry again after an hour? Well it's like that I think"!

tinkerbell

Bella Most Rubble wrote: »

Has anyone used the Canesten pessary while breastfeeding? I bought the Canesten combination pack earlier after looking it up online and reading that it was fine while breastfeeding. Just read the instruction leaflet there now and it says to discontinue breastfeeding during use. Wtf does that even mean It's only a single dose pessary so would I just not breastfeed for the few hours after using it? I will ring dr in the morning to clarify but I was really hoping to use it tonight

Go to the page The Breastfeeding Network Drugs in Breastmilk information service page on Facebook. It's run by pharmacist Wendy Jones who specialises in what drugs are safe in women who breastfeed. She tends to respond pretty quick if the info you are looking for isn't on her standard factsheets.

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Brilliant thanks ladies I messaged the breastfeeding network and while I was waiting for a reply, I rang the mat. Both of them gave the same answer, saved me a lot of hassle

Cunning Stunt

I am still breastfeeding and she will be 12 weeks tomorrow. I know its not a huge amount of time but I never thought I would get this far. For various reasons, I only managed 2 weeks with my first child so i am thrilled. This time 3 weeks ago we had challenges that made me think i was ready to switch to formula, but we got through. Her need for constamt feeds has just gone suddenly down too which is weird but friends tell me its normal. Anyway thanks all for your encouragement. I dont know how long i will end up breastfeeding for, i just take one day at a time, but i am happy with the journey so far

madeinamerica

Well done CS. Each journey is so different.

jlm29

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

I am still breastfeeding and she will be 12 weeks tomorrow. I know its not a huge amount of time but I never thought I would get this far. For various reasons, I only managed 2 weeks with my first child so i am thrilled. This time 3 weeks ago we had challenges that made me think i was ready to switch to formula, but we got through. Her need for constamt feeds has just gone suddenly down too which is weird but friends tell me its normal. Anyway thanks all for your encouragement. I dont know how long i will end up breastfeeding for, i just take one day at a time, but i am happy with the journey so far

Well done! My boy is 6 weeks this week. I can't believe it! Am preparing my self for the infamous 6 week growth spurt! There's a local (ish) cuidiu group in the morning, so I'm hoping to make that.

emer_b

Well done Cunning, the hardest part is behind you now. You can keep going as long as you want, it will only get easier.

annamarie2013

Anyone got tips for a three week old baby who loves being held most of the night if she can get away with it?? After feeding, cries when put down? Really don't want to give a bad habit of bringing into bed. Any advice gratefully accepted.

aughannalady

annamarie2013 wrote:

Anyone got tips for a three week old baby who loves being held most of the night if she can get away with it?? After feeding, cries when put down? Really don't want to give a bad habit of bringing into bed. Any advice gratefully accepted.

I have 13 wk old who is just coming out of this phase. I don't think I did anything specific but rather he sort of grew out of it as he got hardier and is more satisfied now that my milk is established. For night time feeding I found the only way was just keep him in the bed with me or pump a few ounces so hubby could feed him.

John Mason

annamarie2013 wrote: »

Anyone got tips for a three week old baby who loves being held most of the night if she can get away with it?? After feeding, cries when put down? Really don't want to give a bad habit of bringing into bed. Any advice gratefully accepted.

She is a little baby who is scared of the world and wants her mammy close.
Babies don't/can't form bad habits until around the 4 month mark'ish.

Give her want she needs now, how I would love to have the tiny baby snuggly time back

RentDayBlues

annamarie2013 wrote: »

Anyone got tips for a three week old baby who loves being held most of the night if she can get away with it?? After feeding, cries when put down? Really don't want to give a bad habit of bringing into bed. Any advice gratefully accepted.

Baby is just 3 weeks, no such thing as bad habits at this stage. If it helps everyone get sleep then there is no harm. Mine did the same til around 6 weeks and now at 2 hates sleeping in anyone's bed but her own

lazygal

annamarie2013 wrote: »

Anyone got tips for a three week old baby who loves being held most of the night if she can get away with it?? After feeding, cries when put down? Really don't want to give a bad habit of bringing into bed. Any advice gratefully accepted.

There are no bad habits at three weeks. I took both of mine into the bed and co slept safely. There is a 'fourth trimester'-once I read up on it it made perfect sense. They've barely known not having you so close they can hear your heartbeat, they need gentle adjustment to the outside world.

How Strange

At that age there is no such thing as a bad habit. If co sleeping helps the baby sleep then it helps you. How can that be a bad habit?

As lazygal said, this is the 4th trimester and they just want to be close to their mother.

tinkerbell

annamarie2013 wrote: »

Anyone got tips for a three week old baby who loves being held most of the night if she can get away with it?? After feeding, cries when put down? Really don't want to give a bad habit of bringing into bed. Any advice gratefully accepted.

A 3 week old newborn only wants to feel safe and secure and that place is with their mum. They have been in your belly for 9 months, they are only in this world for 3 weeks. Somebody also mentioned babies only create bad habits at 4 months - I don't believe this is true either. A 4 month old is still tiny and is not capable of bad habits. I find it sad that people think so

Anyway, like others said - Google the fourth trimester.

Besides, as I read somewhere else - you don't give birth to a digestive system. You give birth to a tiny human being with feelings and needs. Just because they are fed, have a clean nappy on, etc doesn't mean that they should just then lay in their cot quietly. They need comfort and security too. Hold your baby, cuddle them, enjoy this time. It goes by very fast. And don't let anybody ever tell you you're giving your baby bad habits or are spoiling them.

John Mason

tinkerbell wrote: »

A 3 week old newborn only wants to feel safe and secure and that place is with their mum. They have been in your belly for 9 months, they are only in this world for 3 weeks. Somebody also mentioned babies only create bad habits at 4 months - I don't believe this is true either. A 4 month old is still tiny and is not capable of bad habits. I find it sad that people think so

.

I worded my post badly. By "Bad habits" I meant at around 4 months babies start to recognise routine's i.e. realise certain things happen at certain times.

Routines makes babies feel safe and secure as they know what is happening i.e. if i am lonely/afraid and I cry someone will get me and things will be better. there no such things as "bad habits" but associations do begin to form at around this age.

JR6

annamarie2013 wrote: »

Anyone got tips for a three week old baby who loves being held most of the night if she can get away with it?? After feeding, cries when put down? Really don't want to give a bad habit of bringing into bed. Any advice gratefully accepted.

Put a hot water bottle down in her moses basket/cot while you're feeding her. Then when you put her down she is not going onto a cool surface so shouldn't wake up. Worked for me!

madeinamerica

Has anyone experienced increased night waking in a toddler? Any advice?

My son is nearly 17 months and breastfeeding 3-4 times a day with 2 bottles of bm or cows milk when I'm at work, more breast feedings on my days off. He has been waking about once a night for a few months but went back to sleep very quickly after a feed. in the last two weeks he's been waking around 1-2am and not going back to sleep until like 6am when he'll sleep soundly till nearly 10 if we don't wake him. In the middle of the night he wants to feed all the time and gets very upset if I take him off even though he is half asleep. I bring him into bed with me as I can't function otherwise, too exhausting! He had two colds since Christmas so I was putting it down to that, but he is over them now and still waking. He has been eating less solid food and getting picky about what he eats.

tinkerbell

The Wonder Weeks say that a developmental leap is happening around the 17 month mark, mic, so that would explain it!

Cunning Stunt

How Strange wrote: »

At that age there is no such thing as a bad habit. If co sleeping helps the baby sleep then it helps you. How can that be a bad habit?

As lazygal said, this is the 4th trimester and they just want to be close to their mother.

Just wondering if this also applies for a 3 month old. My one is 3 mnths today and she will mostly only fall asleep if shes welded to my boob in the bed. Thats fine for nighttime but its a bit of a pain to get her down for daytime naps. I can get her to sleep in the bed, wait 20 min, put her in the cot and within 15.mins she is awake and looking for me. I have a toddler too which makes it a bit awkward to go to bed with baby in the day. Has anyone had success with putting baby down in cot to sleep during day and then co-sleeping at nite, or am i asking too much of her? She refuses to take a soother as well.

lazygal

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

Just wondering if this also applies for a 3 month old. My one is 3 mnths today and she will mostly only fall asleep if shes welded to my boob in the bed. Thats fine for nighttime but its a bit of a pain to get her down for daytime naps. I can get her to sleep in the bed, wait 20 min, put her in the cot and within 15.mins she is awake and looking for me. I have a toddler too which makes it a bit awkward to go to bed with baby in the day. Has anyone had success with putting baby down in cot to sleep during day and then co-sleeping at nite, or am i asking too much of her? She refuses to take a soother as well.

Could you put something that smells of you in the cot? I also found it helpful to develop rituals arond naps, like telling them it was nap time and giving them the same teddy and saying the same shushing things. I did resort to a small bit of letting them cry it out sometimes, or the car for a nap on very difficult days.

contrary_mary

Anyone got any tips for leaky boobs? I have an issue with one breast that seems to have a huge supply and is constantly leaking. I soak through breastpads in no time and my bras and tops are constantly damp. Baby (4 weeks old) was just crying with wind pains and I was comforting him against my shoulder - the crying must have triggered let down and within a couple of minutes I'd soaked through my pad, bra, top and his babygro. It's the same whenever I've to feed from the other side - I end up soaking. It's uncomfortable to constantly feel damp.

Has anyone else ever had this and did they come up with any solutions? I'm using the Johnson&Johnson pads as I find these the best of the disposables but once they soak it leaks out the bottom/sides. Reusable pads were a total disaster as they don't have the waterproof backing . Help! I know it's a minor complaint but it's damn uncomfortable at times.

olaola

contrary_mary wrote: »

Anyone got any tips for leaky boobs? I have an issue with one breast that seems to have a huge supply and is constantly leaking. I soak through breastpads in no time and my bras and tops are constantly damp. Baby (4 weeks old) was just crying with wind pains and I was comforting him against my shoulder - the crying must have triggered let down and within a couple of minutes I'd soaked through my pad, bra, top and his babygro. It's the same whenever I've to feed from the other side - I end up soaking. It's uncomfortable to constantly feel damp.

Has anyone else ever had this and did they come up with any solutions? I'm using the Johnson&Johnson pads as I find these the best of the disposables but once they soak it leaks out the bottom/sides. Reusable pads were a total disaster as they don't have the waterproof backing . Help! I know it's a minor complaint but it's damn uncomfortable at times.

I'm afraid your boobs are gonna be leaky until your milk regulates at about 3 months! You can get these 'shells' that collect the milk, which you can re-use (both the milk & the covers) On the pads I found the Boots own brand pads the best. They are very absorbent. The reusable/washable ones weren't worth a curse!!

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Yep, the only solution I found was time! Having a constant supply of muslins on hand helped. And layers of dark coloured clothing. Also, if you haven't already done it already you could try a few different brands of breast pads. Some are better than others. Even now after a year, my left one will leak if I feed from the right one first thing in the morning

contrary_mary

Thanks both - I've tried loads of brands of pads but I'm actually not sure if I've had the boots ones so I'll pick them up tomorrow. I tuck a muslin underneath my boob when I feed to catch leaks/dribbles and it helps but not fully.

Do you need to sterilise the shells? I'd be worried about them overflowing but it would be nice to use the milk.

How Strange

I found tommy tippee best on my son. He was my first child abc I leaked a lot until 12 weeks. They were the most absorbent

RentDayBlues

I used tesco ones and at its worst I double padded! Which given the size of my boobs only made me look more top heavy but saved leaks

olaola

contrary_mary wrote: »

Thanks both - I've tried loads of brands of pads but I'm actually not sure if I've had the boots ones so I'll pick them up tomorrow. I tuck a muslin underneath my boob when I feed to catch leaks/dribbles and it helps but not fully.

Do you need to sterilise the shells? I'd be worried about them overflowing but it would be nice to use the milk.

I would say so (God I've forgotten, even though it's not that long ago!) I'd say they'd hold a good deal more than a pad & you could take a quick look to see if they're full and empty into a sterile bottle that you keep in the fridge? You could keep topping it up during the day.

John Mason

I am looking for some advice on weaning a 21+ month toddler.

Don't want to go cold turkey. I have tried explaining it to him but he is having none of it.